Bob Walkenhorst is among the most impressive songwriters that I’ve heard, a vibrant and literate lyricist who packs his songs with social commentary. As the lead singer and songwriter for Missouri’s Rainmakers in the late 1980’s, he matched intelligent lyrics with the force of classic rock and roll. Although I didn’t share his political views on songs such as “Government Cheese” I was always impressed by his ability to convey them through his songs.
The story of the Rainmakers, however, is a familiar one. After three incredible releases that didn’t achieve tremendous commercial success in the US, the band was dropped by their label. Though they put out a two additional releases in subsequent years, they soon disappeared from view.
Fast forward to 2003 and Walkenhorst reemerges with The Beginner, a self-released acoustic gem. Since then he’s held a fairly regular weekly gig at a Kansas City bar, much of which is recorded and available for download.
Here are several tracks culled from some of his recent performances. You’ll find the complete collection available at the Internet Archive.
Just Leaving, from Bob Walkenhorst’s 2003 release The Beginner:
Love has a way of hanging around
Long after kindness has left town
Sorry to come between you and your demons
Excuse me, I was just leaving
Spend It on Love, from the Rainmaker’s 1989 release The Good News and the Bad News:
I hear of an army taking lots of money
Spending it on guns and rolls of barbed wire
Blew it all away, their homeless and their hungry
Had to bite the bullet, taste of bloody war
No Romance, from the Rainmaker’s 1987 release Tornado:
Are you looking for some answers
Well you’ve come to the wrong place
You might find lines but no valentines
Written all over my face
Government Cheese, from the Rainmaker’s 1986 self-titled release:
It’s the man in the White House, the man under the steeple
Passing out drugs to the American people
I don’t believe in anything, nothing is free
They’re feeding our people the Government Cheese
September 17th, 2006 at 1:17 am
“The Good News and the Bad News” is still one of my favorites…(produced in Georgia Satellite-style by Jeff Glixman). I saw them open for the reunited Doobie Brothers in 1989 when the Rainmakers were working the arenas. Like Jason and the Scorchers, and a lesser degree, a band like the Del Fuegos, they are appreciated by those who know.
October 25th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
As somebody who sees Walkenhorst in KC at about 50% of his KC shows, I can tell you that the humility and downright decency of Bob even outshines his musicianship. The guy is one of the most decent, honest people I have ever met. And nope, he doesn’t sing “Government Cheese” (or “Big Fat Blonde”) anymore (that I know of.)
October 25th, 2006 at 5:17 pm
I agree with Andy 100%. I saw Bob for the first time in seven years on August 2, 2006 at The Recordbar in KC. One of the best live performances I’ve seen in years! I still listen to it at least once a week. A must from the archive.
October 25th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
Actually, Bob Walkenhorst occasionally does “Government Cheese”. But rarely. But he has done it, thus the recording that Mayer shares above.
I don’t think Bob agrees with the politics of that song either. I do know he’s definitely very much a liberal.
“Government Cheese” sounds much better (to me at least) when Bob does it now than the original recording. It doesn’t have the nasty hateful tone that the original (to this listener anyway) seems to have.
Bob Walkenhorst is an awesome songwriter, singer, and person. (And a pretty decently good musician.)
October 26th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
I’m not the insider the others are, just one who thinks lyrics matter. Walkenhorst is the best writer of songs this side of Paul Simon. hmm, Gov’t Cheese is supposed to be “hateful” or rather upset. “riding in the back even though no one’s driving”
April 11th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
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